Jude POV
He awakened from a light doze to find Ravyn pacing the cell. Both of them were recovering, their energy severely depleted by the Dark Goddess' attack.
He asked Hades in his mind, "We've faced her before--shouldn't we be recovered by now?"
Hades' laugh was humorless. "From Dark Goddess energy married to Fae magic? We're all lucky we didn't wind up in oblivion. I still have a mission, and you two have a pack to lead. We're all weakened--we need to regain strength."
Ravyn answered mentally, "The Dark Goddess has grown in strength."
"You'd think the opposite would be true," Jude grumbled through the mind-link.
He struggled to sit up, feeling debilitated, and cast a baleful eye at the water bowls. Although his throat was a dry desert in the dead of summer, the insult of water bowls being put out made him rethink his thirst. Still, he couldn't be too proud.
He scooted on the smooth floor over to the water bowls and raised one to his lips. Moon Goddess! Heaven on earth. He drank until he thought he might burst. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he handed a bowl to Ravyn and took pleasure in seeing her quench her thirst. Ahhh.
"Remind me never to take water for granted," he sighed.
"I will. And you remind me, too." Ravyn smiled, helping him up.
"Any activity outside?" he asked, tiptoeing to the door and peering out.
The faerie guards, in their silver and bronze uniforms with their spears, stood watch over the rows of dungeon cells. Statue still, they kept a vigilant eye on all the prisoners. Jude asked, just by way of conversation, "When do we get fed?"
"Soon," one of the faerie guards replied in a neutral voice.
"Good, because shifters require a lot of protein," Jude said, still making conversation. "I don't know if you know that. And my mate and I are shifter mages. Magic takes energy."
"You don't say," the guard responded.
Crumbs of encouragement, but Jude would take it. "Well, I don't have to tell you, you are all magic. But I've heard faerie food is ... addictive."
"We didn't feed you normal faerie food," the guard replied, shifting her weight. "If we did, you'd think this dungeon was the royal suite. We fed you regular food."
"But if faeries prepare it, isn't it faerie food?" Jude wanted to know.
"Not if we don't add faerie magic," the guard said with a shake of her silver head. She had pale skin and looked fit.
Another guard shushed him. "You talk too much, Harthorn."
"He ASKED," the guard named Harthorn defended.
"Mind your post," the second guard snapped with a toss of her fiery hair. "And keep your spear straight. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"I don't even listen anymore, Delphinium," Harthorn said to her companion.
Sniffing, Delphinium said, "I'd rather talk to Sparkler. At least she's pleasant and harmless. She'll be here soon enough."
Jude's ears pricked up. "She'll be here with our food? Thank the Moon Goddess."
"Yes, so step back from the bars," Delphinium ordered.
"You're no fun," Jude huffed, stepping back.
"Charming," Hades said in his mind. "But she's right to be suspicious. You're just reeling in her comrade. Masterfully, I might add."
Jude paced, needing to keep active. Just sitting did nothing to lift his spirits. Ravyn also took a few turns around the closet-sized cell. Barely bigger than a closet. Jude noticed for the first time that the stone in the center was cracked and needed repair. A potential opening for someone to try to tunnel through to the caverns underneath the castle, if they were so inclined. He didn't point this out to the guards.
The beating of tiny wings alerted him to Sparkler's approach. The cell door creaked open and Sparkler flew through, carrying a tray of food many times her size. With precision and grace that made his head spin, she set down the tray next to the water bowls, then rose until she hovered at eye level with them.
"Your dinner is served," she said, with a cheery countenance. A ray of light inside a dark and austere place.
"What's the news today?" Ravyn asked, by way of conversation.
* * * * *
Ravyn POV
Delphinium, the sourpuss, said to Sparkler, "You don't have to answer them."
"Oh pooh, who put stinkweed in your tea?" she laughed.
Ravyn's disposition brightened. Sparkler reminded her a bit of Anneliese and Patch--relentlessly sunny. It took courage to sprinkle sunshine during a time of gloom.
Hades, surprisingly, agreed. "When all is darkness, kindness is revolutionary," he said.
Ravyn had come to see that outside of his evil persona largely controlled by the Dark Goddess, Hades had potential. Otherwise, she'd never have allowed him to reside within her mate--even to prevent him from being reincarnated in a Dark Goddess-chosen body.
Delphinum fell silent and returned to her post, while a distinct snort of laughter was heard from Harthorn. "But we're leaving the cell door open," Delphinium said at last.
"It stays open," echoed Harthorn.
"Fine. You can let some fresher air in," Sparkler chirped, floating on the air. "So, the kingdom is in an uproar. A lot is bubbling over, and it isn't Chef Potpourri's famous stew."
"Well, let's have it," Jude said, settling down on the floor to eat.
Ravyn joined him. "Might as well pass the time."
They could make a break for it, of course, but not while they were still weakened. And charging the guards and escaping would be foolish. Even if they managed to make it past the dungeon, Ravyn could feel Queen Ylavi. Feel her influence. The Dark Goddess was watching. She'd expect Ravyn and Jude to make a hasty escape attempt.
Ravyn ate the bland, uninspiring food. "I've heard stories about Fae food bewitching other races--especially humans."
"Oh, it can," Sparkler confessed. "But they weren't taking a chance with you, and anyway, we always give this kind of dull-as-dirt food to prisoners. They're not supposed to ENJOY captivity if they cross us."
"Makes sense," Jude said between bites of the tasteless porridge. "No syrup or honey?"
"Sorry, maybe next time," Sparkler said. "We've got more important matters, anyway. Her Majesty has locked herself in one of her treasure rooms and won't leave. She's just sitting there in the midst of her piles of crystals. Which have all turned dark and, well, disturbing. They used to be so beautiful. Like her. Well, she is still beautiful. And Gwillim--he's one of her advisors who, er, wants to be her king--has threatened to leave the palace if she doesn't come out of that room."
Ravyn's ears pricked up. Her wolf smelled an opportunity. "Who is Gwillim?"
Blithely, Sparkler prattled on. "Oh, he's from the nobility, but he's considered a rogue. His family all flies around as if their wings don't wrinkle and they never have a bad hair moment, but Gwillim is not like that. A year ago, he attempted to arrange for the former Alpha Cyran--your kinsman, I think--to come and visit, because he recognized the signs of someone turning Dark Fae."
Ravyn raised eyebrows. "Cyran never said anything. He's like my son now. One of several."
In her mind, Hades contributed, "Cyran would have spotted the seeds of her downfall. I'm guessing that visit never happened."
Sparkler brimmed with pleasure at being the bearer of secrets. "Oh, you are quick, aren't you? Queen Ylavi arranged several diplomatic visits and trips, but none with the former Alpha. She did visit the current Alpha of the Crimsontails--your kinsman too--but when Alpha Cyran and his mate Naomi and Luna Garnet were away."
Ravyn recalled such a visit, but not the details. Sharp-eyed Jiro might have detected Queen Ylavi's darkness, but even he was not infallible. "She knew."
"I didn't know," Sparkler confessed. "I didn't know ... I wish I had been able to see. I knew Mother was in sorrow's kitchen after her husband died, but she's always been so strong ..."
Jude's eyes widened. "Did you just call her MOTHER?"